She sighed against my chest. “I promise. I just want this to be over. I want to be free of him forever.”
I kissed the top of her head. “We’ll figure something out. Together.”
29
Tessa
My heart pounded and chest heaved, sweat dripped down the side of my face. Next to being with the horses or getting lost in my art, this was the best feeling in the world. I pulled the boxing gloves from my hands and grinned up at Liam.
He tossed me a towel. “Your right hook is looking deadly.”
My grin turned into a smile as I wiped off my brow. I’d been working on the plan that Liam’s friend had put together for a few weeks now, and I was already feeling stronger in every sense of the word. There was something incredible about taking out all my frustrations on the heavy bag, about learning how to truly defend myself. I loved it. I was freaking addicted.
Liam tugged on the hem of my tank, pulling me flush against him. My body heated a bit more. “You’re a total badass.” He leaned in, taking my mouth in a slow kiss that ratcheted up the fire in my belly a few degrees. My breasts pressed into Liam’s chest, and he groaned, pulling away.
We’d settled into a routine of sorts. Liam would help me with the horses each afternoon, we’d hang in the pasture—me sketching, him strumming his guitar. Then we’d run through a workout in his home gym before heading back to my apartment where I’d cook us dinner, and we’d play with Trouble.
Liam spent every night with me now, and the touches and caresses had continued. He would stroke me to orgasm but refuse to let me return the favor. It was as though he sensed I wasn’t quite ready to take things further. But lying close to Liam every night, feeling his body pressed up against mine, was driving me mad.
I deepened the kiss. My tongue dueling with Liam’s. I felt him harden against me, and I wanted to moan.
Liam pulled back with a gasp. “You’re going to kill me.” His expression softened. “But it’d be a hell of a way to go.”
I opened my mouth, ready to say the words that I knew Liam needed to hear, that I wanted more, that I was ready for all of him. Fear swept through me, stealing the things I so badly wanted to say. It wasn’t that I was scared that Liam would hurt me, I was terrified that I wouldn’t be any good at sex with an equal partner, with someone who wasn’t trying to overpower me, someone who got off on my powerlessness.
I balled up my fists in frustration. Maybe I needed some more time with the punching bag. I let out a long breath.
Liam tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “What’s wrong?” He always knew when something was going on, his gaze unbelievably perceptive, taking in every micro-expression and movement.
“I want more. But something keeps holding me back from asking for it.” My hands clenched tighter.
Liam wrapped his arms around me, and my own followed suit around him. “We have all the time in the world. You’ll know when you’re ready.”
I let out an aggravated growl. “I want to be ready now. I feel like I’m about to combust.” Liam chuckled, the sound sending vibrations through me. “That’s not helping.”
He only laughed harder. “I’m just glad I’m not the only one.”
I sighed. “You’re definitely not the only one.” I tipped up my chin so that it rested on his sternum. We were both sweaty and gross, and there was nowhere I’d rather be. I stared into Liam’s hazel eyes, trying to beam all the thoughts I wasn’t quite ready to say out loud to him.
He brushed his lips against my temple, the spot that always sent delicious shivers down my spine, and then released me. “Come on, we need to grab showers if we don’t want to be late for dinner at the Coles’.”
My stomach flipped. Liam and I were still keeping a low profile in public, but our friends had slowly begun to realize that something was going on between us. Jensen would waggle her eyebrows at me every time Liam came into the Kettle, but she hadn’t outright said anything after the night that Liam had brought me ice cream. I knew that time was coming to an end.
Tonight, we were going to dinner at the Cole Ranch. We were arriving together, and Liam had already made it clear that he wasn’t shy about showing his affections when no one would be able to snap a picture.
I picked up my boxing gloves that I’d let fall to the mat. “Are you sure about this?”
Liam studied my face. “What’s got you nervous?”
I pressed my lips together before speaking. “I just want to make sure you’re ready for everyone to know.”
Liam wrapped me in another hug and whispered in my ear, “I wish the entire world could know that I have somehow conned the most beautiful, badass girl in the world to agree to be mine. But since that’s impossible right now, I’ll settle for telling our friends.”
He kissed my temple again. “They’ll understand that we’re keeping a low profile in public because we don’t want any press attention. They won’t need another reason.”
My muscles relaxed at his reassurance. I hadn’t realized how nervous I was about everything until that moment. I stretched up on my tiptoes, brushing my lips against his stubbled cheek. “You’re pretty great, you know that?”
Liam chuckled. “Don’t tell me that too often, I’m liable to get cocky.”
